The Alyona Show: Buying Foreign Fighters in Afghanistan

Published time: 2 Apr, 2010 17:00 Edited time: 5 Apr, 2010 18:55

While 100,000 American troops are to be on the ground in Afghanistan by this summer, international forces are still needed to achieve the goals of the operation. As countries around the world struggle economically, many are second-guessing their commitments to the war effort. So, the United States has decided to provide smaller countries fighting in Afghanistan with millions of dollars to train and equip their forces, to offset the price tags involved in fighting. Retired US Army Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson joins Alyona in studio to discuss the idea of financing foreign militaries.

Russia and Venezuela have forged close ties through billions of dollars worth of arms sales and lucrative energy contracts. Both wish to invest heavily in energy projects and stand to benefit from the other's help. At least that’s the obvious reason for Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s recent trip to South America. RT Correspondent Katarina Azarova is with the prime minister in Venezuela and joins Alyona from Caracus to tell us more.

Then, a mass grave was found in Columbia last year next to a military base. Questions are being raised as to who is responsible for the killings and who the dead are. Adrienne Pine, an anthropology professor at American University drops by the studio to discuss the story.

Later, more than 150,000 jobs were added in the United States in March. It’s the largest monthly gain in roughly three years and it has many economists, and US President Barack Obama, declaring that the worst is officially over. Joe Weisenthal of the Business Insider is live in New York to go through the report with Alyona and tell us what it means now and for the future.

Finally, it’s really been a tough week for the Republican National Committee. The RNC is reeling over the discovery of a $2,000 charge from a Los Angeles bondage club, forceful calls for Michael Steele’s resignation as party chairman and Sarah Palin being Sarah Palin. Matt and Peter Slutsky, co-founders of Double Speak Media, join Alyona in the studio to discuss the circus that is the Republican National Committee.